The Factory Fire
by Eclectic Butterfly
Summary: It's another shift for Squad 51. Roy DeSoto learns of his partner's latest big life decision, and then is faced with a night that not many could bear with equanimity. Fourth in series, follows The Researcher, The Fair, and The Flu.


_**A/N: Here's the fourth installment in my Emergency! series. I hope you all enjoy!**_

* * *

"Oh, Greg."

"Now, Ellie, don't you 'oh, Greg' me," the woman's husband told her. He was standing over her, looking worried. "There's no possible way you would have made it to the car so that I could get you to Dr. Martin's office. I had to have someone call the fire department. They have that paramedic program for a reason."

Seventy year old Ellie Conway groaned. "At least let me sit up. Help me to sit up, Greg," she begged. "I feel like such a fool lying here on the ground when I'm perfectly capable of sitting up."

"You should probably just lie still, Mrs. Conway," the police officer told her. "The paramedics are on their way."

The wail of sirens could be heard coming towards them. "And they're almost here now, Ellie," Greg told her, glancing down the street. When he turned back, his wife was stubbornly pushing herself up. "Ellie! What did I just say!"

"I refuse to look like a helpless old woman, lying surrounded by the makings for a salad!" his wife informed him. She scowled at the head of lettuce that was next to her. "I'm sitting up and I am going to stay sitting up."

"Every time!" Greg complained, throwing his hands up in the air. A bright red squad pulled up in front of them. Shaking his head, the officer went to meet the paramedics. "Woman, you could have hurt something worse than your ankle. You don't know!"

The woman's brown eyes narrowed. "You did not just call me 'woman', did you?" she demanded as the paramedics exited their vehicle and the officer spoke to them. "Because for a moment, I thought you were foolish enough to call me that."

"I'm not the foolish one here," her husband retorted. He moved to meet the paramedics, gesturing towards his wife. "Maybe the two of you can talk some sense into her. I certainly can't seem to do it."

Exchanging glances, the two men pulled their equipment out of the compartments and then hurried over to Ellie. "Hello, ma'am," the fair haired man said. "My name is Roy Desoto, and this is my partner, Johnny Gage. Looks like you took quite a fall."

"Fall? This was no fall!" Ellie objected, her tone offended. "I lost my footing trying to get around that people watching husband of mine!"

"It's always my fault, isn't it!" Greg responded in exasperation. "If you had been paying more attention, you would have seen that I had stopped."

Roy bit back a smile as he wrapped the BP cuff around his patient's arm. "Do you hurt anywhere, ma'am?" he asked.

Visibly, the woman hesitated. "My right ankle," she admitted.

"Alright," Roy said soothingly. He passed over the list of vital signs for his partner to relay to Rampart. "I'm going to feel it and see how bad it is."

Ellie nodded. On her other side, Johnny finished setting up the biophone. "Rampart, this is Squad 51," he said. A moment later, the hospital's acknowledgement came through and he continued, "Rampart, we have a female victim, approximately seventy years of age. Name, Mrs. Greg Conway. The vitals are-."

As Johnny rattled of the vitals, Ellie turned horrified eyes to her husband. "How could he know?" she asked, her tone becoming tremulous. She flinched as Roy felt her ankle. "Do I really look seventy already , Greg?"

Quickly, the man hurried to her side. "Of course not," he assured her. "You don't look a day over sixty. These young people just can't use their eyes right."

Again, Roy had to bite back a smile. Johnny put the phone down. "Splint and then transport as soon as possible," he reported. He paused as he realized that Ellie and her husband were glaring at him. "Did I miss something?"

"My ankle is broken?" Ellie asked, turning her attention pointedly to Roy.

The ambulance came rushing up and pulled in behind the squad. "It could be, ma'am," Roy told her, carefully wrapping the splint around her ankle. "The doctors at Rampart will do some x-rays to be sure, though. They'll take good care of you."

"I can ride with her there, can't I?" Greg asked. "I can call our son from there to come pick us up."

"That won't be a problem," Johnny told them. He was taken aback by the pair of glares that once again came his way. "You can ride up in front with the driver while my partner here looks after Mrs. Conway in the back."

As the ambulance attendants lifted a protesting Ellie onto the gurney, Johnny packed up the equipment. He caught Roy's arm before the older paramedic could follow to the ambulance. "What did I do?" he asked.

"Seventy, Johnny?" Roy reminded, keeping his face very serious. He shook his head and hurried to the ambulance.

Still puzzled, Johnny moved to the squad.

* * *

Roy Desoto figured he knew his partner better than anyone, maybe even better than Johnny himself. "What's on your mind this time, Junior?" he asked, breaking the silence that had reigned in the cab since they left the hospital after their last call. He glanced over at the younger man when he didn't get an immediate answer. "Look, you've been awful quiet all morning ong, and that means there's something bothering you. You may as well just spit it out already."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Knowing it was only a matter of time now that he'd bought it up, Roy turned all of his attention to the road. Traffic was surprisingly light for a Friday. Two minutes of silence passed and then Johnny asked, breaking the silence, "Do all couples argue like that?"

It was an odd question and caught Roy by surprise. He sent another quick glance over at his younger partner. "I don't think I've ever known a couple to not fight," he acknowledged. "Joanne and I have had more than a few heated discussions as you know."

Johnny gave a slight laugh. "Yeah, no kidding," he agreed, no doubt remembering the infamous spaghetti incident that had left Joanne furious with her husband. "I just thought a couple that's been together as long as the Conways might be a bit more...I don't know. United, I guess is the word I'm looking for. Instead, they were bickering like a pair of children."

"I thought it was kind of sweet." His partner had nothing to say to that and fell silent again. Roy took a chance and asked, "Are you and Colette fighting again?"

"Colette and me? What? No! Why would you ask something like that?"

"Alright, alright," Roy was quick to say, not liking how annoyed his partner seemed by the question. Johnny's right knee was bouncing restlessly, another sign that the man was upset. "Forget I asked about it. So, what brought on this sudden interest in how other couples behave?"

For a moment, he didn't think Johnny was going to answer. "Well, take that couple we dealt with on our first run this morning," the younger man said. "They're newlyweds and they had a fight big enough that they got physical. The wife had a broken arm and the husband had that cut that needed stitches. I mean, what kind of marriage is that?"

"Marriages sometimes turn out like that," Roy acknowledged. "Two people who have nothing in common get together. Or one of them is just trying to get out of a bad situation and ends up something worse."

From the way Johnny huffed, Roy could tell his partner wasn't happy with that response. "I just think that when two people get married-," Johnny started to say, his voice trailing away. He shook his head. "You know what? Never mind."

As he turned onto the street where the station was, Roy sent another look at his partner. Johnny's knee was still bouncing. "What else is there?"

Johnny heaved a sigh. "Fine. I'll just show you when we get to the station, alright?" he said, his tone reluctant. He shook his head. "I wonder what Chet is going to put together for supper tonight. I hope it's not that mess he calls stew."

Curious about what his partner had to show him, Roy allowed the subject to slide. Though not quite as animated as he usually was, Johnny kept up a steady stream of comments that only stopped once they pulled into the station. The engine was gone, out on a call. Without a word, the dark haired paramedic made a beeline to the locker room. Frowning, his partner followed him there.

Swiftly, Johnny made sure that there was no one else from the crew in the room before he pulled his locker open, though why he would think anyone would be there Roy couldn't begin to guess. There was a photo of Colette on the door of the locker, and Roy couldn't remember exactly when it had been put up. All he knew that Johnny had taken it and had captured Colette in a moment when she'd been laughing.

He realized that Johnny had reached into the locker and had pulled out a small box. Without saying anything, Johnny held it out in the palm of his hand. Roy felt his breath leave him as he recognized the standard jeweler's box. He couldn't find any words as he took the tiny box into his hand and opened it. There was a single ring inside, simple but elegant.

"When are you going to ask her?" Roy asked, looking up at his partner. He handed the box back to Johnny.

"Tomorrow evening," Johnny responded, sounding bashful, nervous, and proud all at the same time. He studied the ring for a moment as he talked. "We're meeting after I get off to have breakfast and then I'm going to take her riding in a state park. There's a spot that is perfect. I checked several places before I decided on it."

Amazed, Roy took a seat on the bench. "Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this, Johnny."

The other man nodded. "We've been going steady for almost nine months now, did you realize that? I think I'm ready."

"Big step, Junior," Roy told him. "I have to say I'm surprised but I'm happy for you."

Taking a deep breath, Johnny sat down as well. "She's just...," he struggled to find the words, "Oh, I don't know how to explain it. I really love her, Roy. I can't wait to see her whenever I get off shift and I want to hear her voice before I go to bed at night and first thing in the morning."

Johnny's words reminded Roy of whenever he met Joanne at the door when he got off shift. "I know what you mean," he said. He reached over and clapped his partner on the shoulder. "You're a lucky guy, Johnny. I've seen the way other men watch Colette."

"Yeah, and Colette won't let me knock their heads together," Johnny grumbled. He hesitated. "You think she'll say yes?"

Astonished, Roy shook his head. "Now how would I know that?"

The sound of the engine pulling in could be heard. Swiftly, Johnny stood up and put the box back in his locker. "Don't tell anyone," he requested, looking over his shoulder. "I don't think they'd understand."

"I think you're wrong about that," Rpy told him, shaking his head. "But it's not something for me to tell them."

Johnny nodded his appreciation. "Hey Gage! You better get out here before you miss out!" At Chet Kelly's shout, Johnny turned around, his eyes narrowing.

"What are you talking about, Kelly?" he called back.

When there wasn't an immediate response, Johnny hurried out of the room. Breathing out, Roy pushed himself to his feet and hurried after his partner. They found Chet, Marco, and Mike at the dining room table, a plate of chocolate chip cookies being examined by all three. "I'm surprised you missed this," Chet said, looking over. He gestured to the slip of paper that was on the tabletop.

With one hand, Johnny grabbed one of the sweet treats and used his other to pick up the paper. "'Tell Johnny that he is only allowed two cookies, otherwise he won't have any when he gets off shift tomorrow,'" he read aloud. "Colette was here?"

"Turn it over," Marco told the paramedic who had just stuffed the entire cookie in his mouth.

Roy accepted a cookie from the plate that Mike offered to him and wasn't at all surprised to see just how many had already been eaten. "Save some for Cap," he suggested.

Swallowing his mouthful, Johnny flipped the paper over. "'I left a pan of Gran's lasagna in the oven.'" He looked up, excitement shining in his eyes. "Boy, are you guys in for a treat. Mrs. McConikee's lasagna is out of this world."

"But I had a meal already all planned out," Chet told him in a mock horrified tone. "We're just going to have to throw the lasagna out."

"Are you out of your mind, Kelly?" Johnny demanded as the whole crew turned towards the Irish man. "We are not going to throw out the meal that the chief's wife's made for us!"

"Alright, alright!" Chet conceded, holding his hands up in surrender. "I was just joking."

"Gentlemen," Captain Hank Stanley said as he entered the room. He raised an eyebrow at the plate of cookies that was still in Mike's hand. "Don't tell me every single one of you has managed to finish the chores and have all the hose hung."

Swiftly, the men exchanged looks. "We're getting to that, Cap," Johnny told him, holding the note from his girlfriend behind his back. "Good news though. We have Mrs. McConikee's lasagna for supper tonight."

Mike dropped the plate of cookies on the table as Cap responded with, "Mm-hmm. Well, why don't we worry about that when it's time for supper. I want all of you on the hoses. Now."

There was a slight rush to the door. When Roy glanced back, though, he spotted Cap taking the plate of cookies.

* * *

The entire station was kept busy for the rest of the day. Thankfully the runs for the two paramedics were relatively minor with them only needing to make trips to Rampart four times. The only cause for complaint that anyone had was that it was nearing eight o'clock before anyone could touch the lasagna.

After the meal had been consumed, Johnny was left with the chore of clearing up as was the case more often than not. To the puzzlement of most of the crew, the paramedic said nothing about and simply got to work. While everyone else gathered to watch TV, Johnny had the kitchen spotless and then laid claim to the phone.

It didn't escape Chet's notice that Johnny talked to Colette for nearly an hour. When the time came to turn in for the night, Johnny bid goodnight to his girlfriend and hung up the phone. "Geez, Gage," Chet commented. "You're going to scare Colette off if you're talking to her at this time of night."

"Why would it?"

"If she hasn't been scared off by this point, I don't think she ever will be," Marco quipped with a teasing grin. "He'll probably be stuck with her for the rest of his life."

Johnny's shoulders tensed. "I'm not that awful," he answered, keeping his voice light, though there was a definite edge to his words. "And why does it have to be that one of us is stuck with the other?"

"He's a bad influence on her, that's for sure," Mike commented in his quiet way. When everyone looked at him he shrugged. "Jones over in the 108th said Colette had some interesting things to say when one of the crew made some joke about Gage's history."

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that," Chet agreed, his eyes lighting up. "Something about her speaking some strange language."

But, to Roy's surprise, Johnny only chuckled, visibly relaxing. "I've been teaching Colette a few phrases from my people's language," he informed them, pride evident in his tone. "If she's using it to get back at people, good for her. She's smarter than most of you give her credit for."

"Well, she's dating you. What else are we supposed to think?"

"Lay off, Kelly," Cap said, his tone sharp. "I know I've heard enough about Gage's social life for one night. Now, it's a Friday night. Odds are we're going to be a busy tonight. We should all get what sleep we can."

* * *

Cap wasn't wrong. The tones sounded several times that night, dragging the paramedics out of their beds. At 5:34, multiple tones sounded and the lights came on. "Station 51. Station 108. Engine 48. Factory fire."

Everyone scrambled out of their bed and into their turnouts. The crew rushed down to the vehicles. Cap scribbled down the address on two papers and passed one through the window to Roy. The door came up, and the fire truck led the way out of the station.

"A factory fire is one of the worst," Johnny said as he rubbed his left hand over his face. "It's probably going to be one with a third shift."

"Yeah," Roy agreed without much confidence.

As they approached the scene of the fire, the two paramedics could see the smoke billowing in the air and bright orange flames reaching for the sky. "It's a big one," Johnny commented unnecessarily. "And it's close to other factories."

"Look, the workers are already being evacuated," Roy pointed out, spotting the groups of people being herded away from the danger. "Maybe the warning was sounded early enough that there won't be anyone inside."

Cap was already off the fire engine and speaking to the police officer. He waved for Roy and John to come over. "There are at least half a dozen employees unaccounted for," Stanley informed them, destroying Roy's hope. "The main part of the factory hasn't been touched by the fire yet and that's where the workers will be. Kelly and Lopez will cover you. Engine 108 will focus on the office part of the structure."

Nodding, the two paramedics returned to their squad. In a matter of moments, they had their oxygen tanks on their backs and the masks over their faces. Cap brought a blueprint of the factory over for them to glance at before they set off.

Entering the building, the partners made their way through the smoke. Right off, they found one man crouching in a doorway, trying to coax a younger man who was too terrified to move. Roy and Johnny placed their oxygen masks over the men's faces and persuaded them to follow them out.

It took only a few moments to seat the men on the ground and have the paramedics from 108 take over administering oxygen. "We're fine," the first of the victims insisted, pushing the mask away so that he could be heard. "Bob was at the back of the factory, doing stock."

"We'll find him," Roy promised, straightening up from his crouch. He put his mask back on, exchanged a quick look with Johnny, and then led the way back into the building.

The smoke was even worse than before. There was the distant crackle of the flames as they moved through to the back of the factory. They cleared the rest of plant floor quickly, not seeing any of the other four workers suspected of being in the building.

"Help!"

At the frightened scream, the paramedics hurried to the far wall. A few moments later, they found a young woman pinned under some boxes. An older man was on the floor next to her, clutching at his chest. "I think he's having a heart attack!" the woman exclaimed. "Please get us out of here! I don't want to die!"

Roy reached her first and easily dislodged the boxes. "Calm down, ma'am," Johnny said, dropping onto one knee by the man. "We'll get you out of here Is there anyone else in here?"

"No," the woman gasped out. "Please, get me out!"

Once again, the paramedics gave up their oxygen masks for the victims. Johnny supported the man while Roy put his arm around the woman. She was sobbing by the time the paramedics got her away from the burning building. Roy let her down to sit on the running board of the squad. "Are you alright?" he asked, kneeling in front of her. "Ma'am, are you hurt at all?"

Blinking, she focused on him. "N-no, I-I'm fine," she stammered. She ran her trembling her hands through her long black hair. "You saved me."

Quickly, Roy pulled out his penlight and checked her pupil reaction. "That's good," he said, satisfied with what he saw. He straightened up and instructed, "The police are going to want a statement from you, so just join everyone else over there." He gestured to where the evacuees were standing behind the police barriers. "You'll be well away from the danger."

"Nononono!" the woman pleaded, grabbing onto his sleeve. "Please. Please don't leave me!"

Firmly, Roy disentangled her fingers from his sleeve. "You'll be much safer there, I promise," he told her. He waved one of the officers over. "Officer Williams will make sure you're fine."

Ignoring the woman's continued protests, Roy turned back towards the fire. His partner was halfway to him, supporting an older man who was clutching at his chest. "Roy, possible heart attack," Johnny snapped.

With a nod, Roy spun on his heel and stepped to the compartments. He brought out the biophone and the drug box, setting them down to get the EKG and oxygen tank. He carried it all to where his partner had laid the victim and crouched down.

"My chest!" the man gasped out. "I'm having a heart attack!"

"Calm down, sir. We're going to take good care of you," Johnny told him. There was a small explosion from the factory that made them both flinch. The paramedic placed the oxygen mask over the victim's face. "Just take deep breaths. You're going to be fine."

After tossing the BP cuff over to Johnny, Roy set up the biophone. "Rampart, this is Rescue 51," he said. "How do you read?"

It took several moments before he received a response. **"We read you, Rescue 51,"** Dixie McCall said in her ever calm way. **"Go ahead."**

"Rampart, we have a male victim, approximately 45 yrs old, complaining of chest pains," Roy reported. He echoed the vitals that Johnny rattled off to him. "Patient has inhaled smoke. We are administering oxygen."

 **"Understood, 51,"** Dr Early responded. **"Continue with the oxygen. Start IV-45W, and monitor his vitals. Transport as soon as possible."**

One of the officers directing the onlookers and traffic waved an ambulance through just then. "10-4, Rampart," Roy acknowledged and then put the phone down.

Their victim pulled the oxygen from his face. "Am I going to die?" he asked, panic in his eyes.

"The doctors at Rampart are going to take good care of you, sir," Johnny assured him, rubbing the man's arm with an alcohol swab. "We'll just get this IV going and then the ambulance will take you right to the ER."

Firmly, Roy took the oxygen mask from the man's hand and put it back into place. Johnny adjusted the IV drip and then waved the ambulance attendants over. The four men lifted the patient onto the gurney and strapped him down securely with the oxygen tank by his legs.

"You go with him and I'll follow with the squad," Johnny said to his partner.

Nodding, Roy hurried alongside the gurney to the ambulance. He climbed in and looked back as the doors closed. The last thing he saw was Cap running up to his partner and then the ambulance was moving.

* * *

Dr. Early stepped out of Treatment Room 3, with Roy right behind him. "We'll monitor him for the next twenty four hours, just to be on the safe side, Roy," the doctor announced. "But it seems to just be only stress."

"Yeah, thanks, Doc," Roy responded in a distracted way. He frowned at Dixie, who leaning in close to the radio. "Hey, Dix. Is there something wrong?

The nurse straightened up and faced the two men."There was an explosion at the fire," she explained in a quiet voice. "Two of the firemen inside haven't been found since then. One of them was Johnny Gage."

Roy stared at her in shock. "Johnny?"

Sympathetically, Early patted Roy's arm before he hurried to his next waiting patient. Waiting really was the worst part of the job, Roy decided. He drummed his fingers on the top of the desk. "I'm sure everything will be fine, Roy," Dixie told him as she moved around him. She leaned against the other side of the desk. "Johnny will be on his way here with his patient in no time."

Shaking his head, Roy took a deep breath. "I should have known he'd go back in without any backup," he muttered.

"I would have been surprised if he hadn't done that," Dixie responded with a wry smile. "Johnny would never leave someone behind if he could help it. Besides, from what i hear, he didn't go in alone. There's no need for you to feel guilty. You've done exactly what you were supposed to do: you got your patient here."

"Roy?"

The paramedic flinched as he recognized the voice that called out his name. Dixie straightened up as he turned. "Colette," he said. His partner's girlfriend was hurrying towards him. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard on the radio about the fire and that a paramedic was trapped inside," Colette answered. "I had a feeling someone who knew something more would end up here eventually. It's Johnny, isn't it? Is he one of the firemen in that building?"

Unable to be anything but honest, Roy nodded. He saw the worry change into fear in an instant. "But they're going to get to him," he told her quickly. "Cap and the rest of the crew are there, and all of Station 108. They'll get him out of there."

The young woman forced a smile. "Of course," she answered. "I don't suppose you can tell me how it happened?"

Her tone was so hopeful, Roy hated disappoint her. "I'm afraid I don't know, Colette," he answered. "Johnny was supposed to be driving the squad here but apparently there was a change in the situation at the site and Johnny had to go back in. That's all I know."

Colette took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "That sounds exactly like something he would do," she said with a slight smile. She turned her gaze to the head nurse. "Dixie, is it alright if I stick around here and wait? I'll try not to get in anyone's way or anything like that, I promise."

"Of course you can stay," Dixie was quick to answer. She reached over and squeezed the girl's hand. "There are plenty of seats in the waiting room and you won't be in the way. You'll be the first one to know if I hear anything."

Nodding, Colette ducked her head and moved on to the waiting room. Roy and Dixie watched her go before exchanging looks. "Poor girl," the nurse commented. "That's a terrible way to hear someone you love is in danger."

"The chief isn't going to like that the news got out so quickly," Roy remarked with a frown. "I don't remember seeing a reporter on the scene."

As he spoke, he glanced at the clock. Barely any time had passed. "Patience, Desoto," Dixie advised in a soft voice. "That's what you're always trying to teach your partner. It's time to take your own advice."

She turned to speak to a younger nurse. "Right. Patience," Roy repeated.

* * *

Half an hour passed. Roy stayed glued to the nurse's desk, listening to the radio chatter, hoping for some news. He was stuck at the hospital until someone from the station came to get him, preferable Johnny in the squad. He could only be grateful that as soon as he was able to clock out at the station, he would have two days to recover.

Dixie managed to catch his eye and then nodded further down the hospital. Turning, the paramedic caught sight of Colette. The young woman was leaning her back against the wall, her arms wrapped around her waist. It looked as though she was trying to be invisible to the nurses and doctors that hurried down the corridor.

Leaving the nurses' station, Roy walked over to her. "Hey, " he said to get her attention when she didn't give any sign that she realized he was next to her. "Johnny's going to be fine. We all know he has nine lives."

"Yeah, I know," Colette responded, taking a deep breath. She looked at him. "Johnny told me you guys say that about him."

"Let's go get some coffee," he suggested. "It will help the time go by. Dixie will let us know if anything comes over the radio."

For a moment, he thought the woman was going to refuse. Then, Colette sighed and nodded her head. She pushed herself away from the wall and started walking. Dixie flashed an approving smile as they went past her.

Neither one of them said anything as they got their coffee in the cafeteria. Colette picked a table in the corner and they sat down. Roy racked his brain to find something to say to her. She spoke first. "Did you know that the first time Johnny asked me out I turned him down?"

Surprised, Roy lifted his eyes from his coffee. "No, he never mentioned that," he answered. He gave a brief chuckle. "But that's not really something he'd like everyone to know about."

A half smile crossed Colette's face. "I suppose not," she agreed. "I don't know why I mention it. I was just thinking about it. We've been going steady for nine months now."

"Yeah, I know," Roy responded, thinking back to his conversation he'd had with Johnny. "He mentioned it earlier."

Colette's smile widened at that. "It's funny to think about, you know?" she said. "I was sure he was only asking me out on a pity date. I mean, I'd just been in an accident. I certainly wasn't going to win any beauty contests with the black eye I had from hitting the steering wheel. And on top of that, I'd just lost my job. I didn't think I was good enough for anyone to be interested in at that point."

Opening his mouth, Roy sought the words to deny that. "But Johnny was persistent," Colette continued, not giving him a chance to say anything. "In a good way, I mean. Even when I did agree to have dinner with him, I didn't really believe he was serious and I didn't make it easy on him. I made him agree to dinner at my grandparents house for our first date. Granddad can be... intimidating, when he wants to be. I was certain Johnny wouldn't call me again."

Roy couldn't hold back another chuckle as he remembered. "Johnny didn't say a word about that when he talked about it," he told her. "All he ever talks about is how great you are."

The image of Johnny holding the ring box flashed in front of his eyes, and he found he couldn't meet Colette's gaze anymore. "He's the one who's been great. I mean, look at how patient he has been with me given how stressed I've been about my parents divorce and with how vocal my mother has been against him being in my life," she commented.

Taken aback, Roy processed that new information, realizing how much more it explained Johnny's upset about the couples on the runs earlier. "I'm just happy that everything that people have said to me about him isn't true," Colette added.

"What do you mean?"

Colette hesitated enough that Roy glanced at her quickly. "Well, for one thing, there are the nurses here at Rampart that he's flirted with in the past," she explained. "Even some of the firemen at the other stations. They all say that Johnny is never satisfied with a girl once he's got her; that he's never serious about her and it's only a matter of time before he drops her for someone else. Apparently, I've lasted longer than any other girl, so everything they've said is just jealous lies."

Somehow, Roy wasn't surprised to hear that. Johnny had made no secret of his interest in the single nurses that worked at Rampart. It was well known in the fire department and had been joked about for as long as Roy could remember. No doubt that was one of the reasons Chief McConikee had been so intimidating with Johnny at the first dinner.

Abruptly, Colette pushed her coffee away and covered her face with her hands. "Colette, Johnny's going to be fine," Roy told her quickly.

"I know, I know," she answered, taking a deep breath. She lowered her hands. "It's just... I was warned this would happen, and I didn't believe it. Gran told me I'd have to decide. My mother said this would happen."

"What do you mean?" Roy asked, puzzled by her sudden outburst.

"This," Colette said, waving her hand around. "Johnny getting hurt and me being left to wonder and wait to find out if he's going to be alright."

"Johnny will be fine," Roy was quick to tell her again. "Cap and the rest of the crew are searching for him now. You can't give up hope."

She shook her head. "You don't understand," she told him. She took a deep breath and laid her hands, palm down, on the table. "After my first date with Johnny, Gran told me I would have to decide if I was strong enough to handle this kind of thing over and over again. The only time I worried -and I don't mean the general worry because he's a fireman and I know he runs right into the danger- was when I saw him slip while climbing that ferris wheel and that was because I was there. There haven't been any occasions like this."

Roy nodded as understanding dawned. "You mean the chance that he might not make it back," he said. The woman nodded, looking miserable. "You're doing fine."

"No, I don't think I am," Colette replied, shaking her head. "Maybe my mother was right and I'm not strong enough to have anything to do with the fire department."

Again, Roy thought of Johnny and the ring that sat in his partner's locker. He suddenly couldn't sit there anymore. "I'm going to go see if there's been any news," he said, getting to his feet. After a moment of hesitation, he put his hand her shoulder. "Johnny will be alright. He's been in worse situations and come out just fine. "

The woman sighed. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She hesitated and then said slowly, "Roy? Please don't tell anyone about this. If -When- Johnny gets here, I don't want someone else telling him I had doubts."

"'Had' doubts?" Roy repeated, picking up on the past tense.

She shrugged her shoulders slightly. "I-I don't know, Roy," she answered. "I just don't know. I don't want to lose him. I love him." A startled expression appeared on her face and she repeated in a softer tone of voice, "I love him."

Deciding to leave her to her thoughts, Roy turned and walked away. "Junior, you need to get here and deal with this yourself," he muttered.

Dixie was coming towards them. "They're close, Roy," she reported. "We'll know something soon."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the report came that the firemen were freed. And then a familiar, confident voice came over the radio, **"Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read me?"**

Roy breathed out a sigh of relief at his partner's voice. His relief doubled when he saw Johnny rushing alongside the gurney. Dr. Brackett was there to oversee the patient, following the paramedic and nurses into the exam room. Chet joined Roy in front of the desk, looking every bit as tired as the paramedic felt.

"You know. As often as we all joke about Johnny having nine lives, I think no one ever gives us enough credit for how many extra lives we have," the Irishman commented, rubbing at his smoke streaked face. "Johnny's taken at least four or five off of mine by now."

The older paramedic gave a slight chuckle. "I know what you mean," he agreed, keeping his eyes on the exam room door. "How did it happen, Chet?"

Chet shook his head. "I don't know, Roy," he answered. "He went in with Lopez to find the last victim trapped in there. The fire reached a gas tank and it went up. Lopez was hit on the head, and the radio took some damage."

Roy frowned. "But the female victim I brought out last said that there wasn't anyone else in there," he said. His attention went to the exam room door as it opened and he stepped forward when his partner came through. "Johnny."

"Hey, Roy," Johnny greeted, his voice hoarse from smoke. The beginning of a grin was already on his face, though his eyes were tired. "How'd your guy end up? Was it the beginning of a heart attack?"

"Just stress," Roy responded. He reached out and clasped his friend's arm. "I was the one having a heart attack when I heard you'd gone back in for a victim. What are you trying to do? Make me old before my time, pally?"

With a chuckle that turned into a cough, Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. "Doc says that Marco will be fine, but he's going to keep for 24 hrs just to be on the safe side," he said, catching sight of the clock on the wall. "That's not the time, is it? I've got to get to the station and call Colette. She's got to be wondering where I am."

Out if the corner of his eye, Roy saw the young woman approaching them. "I don't think she is anymore, Junior," he answered as he stepped back. He turned his head and nodded down the hallway.

Frowning, Johnny followed his partner's gaze and saw Colette. The woman had her hands at her lips, a quivering smile on her face. She reached out her hands. "Colette!" the young paramedic exclaimed, rushing to her. He caught her in a tight hug, lifting her off her feet for a moment. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard what happened and I knew you'd end up here eventually," Colette responded, her voice muffled against his turncoat. She pushed herself away enough that she could look up at him. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "I was so worried, Johnny."

Beside Roy, Chet opened his mouth to say something but Roy smacked his arm. "I'm sorry," Johnny told her, brushing her cheek with his right hand. "And I would promise that I won't do it again, but that would be broken the next time I go in shift."

"You better do it again," Colette said, her tone suddenly fierce. She poked Johnny's chest. "You better do your job, John Gage. Make me worry because you risk your life to help people but come back to me like you just did. That's what I want you to promise me. Promise me you'll do everything you can to come back."

Johnny stared at her in astonishment. "I can do that," he answered with a startled laugh in his voice. "Marry me, Colette."

There was movement at Roy's left side and he glanced over at Dixie, who'd come out of the exam room. The nurse joined him and Chet in watching the couple. "Are you telling me or asking me?" Colette countered as if they weren't standing in the middle of a hospital corridor.

"Uh...both," Johnny said uncertainly. "And I know your mom hates me and thinks firemen make the worst husbands in the world but if you marry me, I'll prove her wrong."

Laughing, Colette put both of her arms around his neck. "Yes, Johnny, I will marry you," she said. "I thought you'd never ask."

Right there, in the middle of the busy ER, Johnny kissed her. Chet's eyes widened in shock while Dixie sniffed and brushed at her eyes. Someone further down the hallway whistled and began applauding. And that was the scene Dr. Brackett walked into.

"What is going on in my hospital?" he demanded, a smile quirking at the edge of his lips.

The now engaged couple broke apart. Colette's face flushed red as she realized she and Johnny were the center of attention. Roy joined the applause as she hid her face in Johnny's turnout. "Sorry, Doc," the dark haired paramedic said, a grin on his face.

"Now I want you hose jockeys out of here," the doctor instructed, not even trying to hide his smile, "before I decide I want to keep you all."

"I think he's serious," Roy said with a laugh. "And I've spent enough time here this morning already."

"I'll meet you at the station," Colette said, extracting herself from Johnny's grasp. She put her head down and hurried for the nearest ext. She paused by Roy for a moment and said softly, "Thank you, Roy. For listening earlier."

He nodded and watched her vanish out the door. "What did she say?" Johnny asked, stepping up to his partner.

"It's not important," Roy answered, clapping his hand on his partner's shoulder. "Let's get you to the station. You don't want to keep your girl waiting. You've got a lot of planning to do now that you're about to be married."

"Planning?" Johnny echoed. "What do you mean 'planning'?"


End file.
